Railway-torpedo



(NdModL) J. H. BEVINGTO-N.

RAILWAY TORPEDO.

No. 375,254. Patented Dec..Z0, 1887.

W/TNESSES INVENTOf? "rares- JAMES H. BEVINGTON, OF BELLEVUE, ASSIGN'OR TO THE BEVINGTON SIG- I I NAL COMPANY, OF FOSTORIA, OHIO.

RAI LYWAY-TORPEDIOV.

srscrr'rqArxon forming part of Letters Patent No. 375.25%, dated December 20,1892.

Application filed May 10, 1887. Serial No. 287,737. (No mozlcl.)

To alZ'whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JAMES H. BEvING'roN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Bellevue, in the co untyof Huron and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railroad-Torpedoes for Signaling Purposes, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a torpedo eonstrncted of a suitable size and adapted to be .placed upon a railway track and fastened thereto, as will be hereinafter described, for the purpose of signaling to engineers of passing traius'that there, is danger ahead. They may also be employed to give notification to switchmen or to station-men or passers-by that a train that has b en standingstill has just been started. The invention consists in the present instance of a metallic casing provided with a binding-strap soldered or otherwise suitably attached to the under side of the metal casing, the said casing forming an envelope for an explosive compound located within it.

The invention also consists of the manner of attaching the two halves or plates of the easing so as to avohl the possibility of any explosion while the sealing operation is taking place. Other points of novelty will be hereinafter referred to, and pointed out in the claim.

deferring to the accompanying drawings, which forma part of this specification, Figure 1 is a plan view of the completed article. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the inside of .the torpedo, the upper part and the explosive compound beinglremovcd. Fig. 3 is alongitudinal sec tionof the torpedo. in the drawings, A represents the lower portion or half of the metallic casing, and is provided with a centrally-located depression or recess, V, in which is set a. flexible metallic band, C, which is secured to the bottom A by means of soldering, as shownat D. This metallic band is the binder w'hich secures it to the rail of the railroad, as shown in Fig. 3, -=the railroad-rail being represented at R.

In Fig. 3 also is shown the explosive compoundE, which is inclosed within the casing and sealed therein and will explode when the wheel of the locomotive or can passes over it.

In Figt l'and 3 is shown the bottom of the casing having a flange or wing, F, which extends upwardly, as shown. VVithin'this lower easing I arrange the upper half or part oi "the casing G,.-which upper portion is provided with a flange, H, fitting down into the lower portion of the'casing', and over which the flange F of the said. portion isadapted; to be folded, for the purpose ofsecuring the parts together 1 and confining the explosive compound E within its proper bounds.

In Fig. 2 I show the bottom. of the casing, and have indicated in dark lines L a certain quantity of paint or varnish, which corresponds with the size of the flanges before mentioned, and it is placed there for the follow ng pnrpo'sez When the explosive compoundis placed within the casing and the two parts are pressed together, the flange upon the upper half of thecasing will: fit down intothe lower half and will come in contact with the moistpaint or varnish aforesaid. Then the flange is pressed downwardly and inwardly and as-, source the position shown in Fig. This binds the two halves of the torpedo together, and confines the explosiv'evcompound withinthe casing. When the'pressure is applied, as before stated-the moist paint will serve to dampen any of the explosive compound that has got between the flanges, thus preventing any premature explosion when the parts have been thus pressed together. I cover the whole with a suitablewaterproofing material, which may be either paint, varnish, or other suit-1 able material. I

I also make my improved torpedo in the shape of a wedge, as shown in Fig. 3, so that, the locomotive-wheel'or car-wheel can easily mount upon it, thus avoiding the danger of it being thrown from the track, This construetion has provedof great advantage, and is now in commercial use. The peculiar construction of tne torpedo, with the two beveled surfaces slanting downward from the top of the torpedo, said surfaces being flat, adds greatly to the value of the article, inasmuchas the wheel as it comes in contact with the broad flat portion easily mounts thereon, and will nototend to thrQw the torpedo from the" track, as is the case when the said torpedo is. 1;

circular in shape. These latter forms have been found to be useless. The central depression in the lower surface of the torpedo aflords means for embedding the flexible metallic binding-strap, so that the bottom of the torpedo can seat on the rail and will not be liable to rock from side to side, as would be the case if it were not properly embedded. This construetion is also superior to the torpedo having the strap formed integrally with the metallic casing, for many important reasons.

' Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new therein, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, isv and provided with a flange, as shown,-the lower half having paint or varnish placed upon it where the flange ot the upper half seats, and, also having a flange which fits over the flange of the upper half and secures it in position,

all constructed substantially as and forthe purposes set forth.

JAMES H. BEVINGTON. Witnesses:

M. B. STOUT,

J; M. BEVER. 

